Himalaya – the name says it all. Straddling the border between Tibet and its southerly neighbor, the
Kingdom of Nepal, the world’s tallest mountains soar to the heavens, seemingly piercing the unimaginably
blue Tibetan skies. For the peoples of the Himalayan kingdoms, these mountains are sacred; for on their
lofty heights dwell the gods and goddesses of the Indic religious traditions of Hinduism, Jainism, and
Buddhism. In fact, the mountains themselves are considered manifestations of the deities.
Rising above them all is the “goddess” of all mountains, the colossal Everest. Reaching a stupendous
29,017 feet, the world’s tallest mountain exerts a powerfully magnetic pull. Indeed, for many an intrepid
explorer, the lure of the summit has proved irresistible, albeit at times tragically so. Known as “Peak XV”
by the early Indo-British surveying team that established its summit as the world’s highest, the mountain
was later named after Sir George Everest, head of the Great Trigonometrical Survey. While this is the name
by which most Westerners know the mountain, to Tibetans it is Chomolangma, “The Goddess Mother of
the Universe,” while to Nepalis it is Sagarmatha, “The Forehead of the Sky.”
We begin our journey in the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu before taking the breathtaking mountain
flight to Lukla, our trailhead. We then undertake the popular trek to bask in the glory of Everest’s majestic
south face in the Khumbu, land of the Sherpa. Staying in comfortable mountain lodges or private camps,
we hike along the historic trekking route that was pioneered by the like of Sir Edmond Hillary and Tenzing
Norgay.
Itinerary
Day 1
Kathmandu, Nepal
Hotel:
Yak & Yeti Hotel
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
WELCOME TO KATHMANDU
Once you have cleared the formalities of customs, immigration,
you step into the receiving area where you will be met by our
Nepalese Guide and escorted to the Yak & Yeti. “Namaste” is the
greeting you will receive from the friendly Nepalese people, a
traditional Hindu greeting, derived from Sanskrit, which means “I
salute the soul (God?) within you.” We will check in to our hotel,
the classic Yak & Yeti, before spending the afternoon taking in
some of the sites of Kathmandu
In the late afternoon we will have an orientation meeting to
discuss the effects of high altitude and check our trekking gear
(Kathmandu is a great place to get completely outfitted with trekking/climbing gear, in case you forgot something). After
the meeting we will take a walking tour of “old Kathmandu,”
including Durbar Square, Hanuman Dhoka, the ancient palace of
the Gorkha Kings and the old bazaar, ending with a “welcome
dinner.”
Day 2
Lukla, Nepal
Hotel:
Mount Kailash Lodge
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
FLY TO LUKLA
We begin our Everest trek with an exciting flight in a Twin Otter
plane to the small airstrip at Lukla, elevation 9,275 feet, where we
will meet our trekking staff. Well-rested from two days of light
activity, we hit the trail with renewed enthusiasm. The first day’s
walk is moderate, as we make our way down from Lukla to the
Dudh Kosi (the “Milk River,” named for its color). Hike up the
valley to the village of Monjo.
Day 3
Namche Bazaar, Nepal
Hotel:
Khumbu Lodge
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
TREK TO NAMCHE BAZAAR
Today will be a long and challenging day with many ups and
downs to Namche, with an extended and steep hill trail leading
into Namche Bazaar (11,300 ft). Along the trail are villages
interspersed with forests of rhododendron, magnolia trees, and
giant firs. Towards the end of the day, about halfway up the final
hill to Namche, we find our first views of the snowed-capped
summits of Lhotse (27,916 feet) and Mt. Everest (29,035 feet).
Arranged in a steep amphitheater at 11,300 feet, the town is
packed with shops and small lodges, not to mention the winter
homes of many prominent Sherpa families. Namche is the trading
center for the entire Khumbu region, and the nexus of Sherpa
social life. We stay is a lodge founded by Pasang Kame (a famed
Everester) in what is “ground zero” for Everest climbs. Most of the
well-known Everest summitters have stayed here at one time or
the other and lend their names to the various rooms. We will walk
about the bazaar and explore the heart of the Sherpa community.
Day 4
Kumjung, Nepal
Hotel:
Amadablam Lodge
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
TREK TO KUMJUNG
Today will be an easy day as we enjoy a leisurely breakfast before
taking a two hours hike to our next location, the scenic village of
Kumjung. It is here that Ed Hillary started his first school for the
Sherpa community and this is also the site of the Kunde Hospital.
Our lodge here is built to offer magnificent views of Mt.
Amadablam. Being a full moon we will have the
opportunity of photographing the full moon rise against the high
peaks of the Himalaya.
Day 5
Thyangboche, Nepal
Hotel:
Himalaya Lodge
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
TREK TO THYANGBOCHE
The morning takes us downhill, through terraced fields and
pastures to our lunch site at Phunko Tenga, amid colorfully painted
Buddhist prayer wheels, turning slowly by waterpower. Crossing
the foaming Dudh Kosi River on a footbridge we start our long,
steady climb through a pine forest to one of the most beautiful
spots in the Himalaya, the monastery called Thyangboche, where,
at 12,687 feet, we stay in the adjacent Guesthouse.
Thyangboche offers one of the most stunning panoramas in
the Himalaya – Tawoche (2l,463 feet), Nuptse (25,843 feet), Mt.
Everest (29,035 feet), Lhotse (27,9l6 feet), Ama Dablam (22,493
feet), Kangtega (22,235 feet), Thamserku (2l,806 feet), and
Kwande (20,806 feet). Founded some fifty years ago by Lama
Gulu, the monastery is the main spiritual center of the Khumbu.
The main temple was destroyed by an earthquake in l933, was
reconstructed and again destroyed by a fire in 1989, and, with
the assistance of many trekkers, the monastery has once again
been rebuilt. Buddhism is believed to have been introduced into the Khumbu towards the end of the 17th century by Lama
Sange Dorje, the fifth of the reincarnate lamas of the Rongbuk
Monastery in Tibet on the other side of Mt. Everest. According to
local legend, Sange Dorje flew over the Himalayas and landed on
rocks at Pangboche and Tengboche, where he left his footprints.
Sunrise and sunset are magnificent, with the rocky tip of Everest
peeping from behind the dramatic Lhotse/Nuptse wall, the
beautiful Ama Dablam, and many other peaks shifting through
the pink spectrum of alpenglow colors.Next
Day 6
Dingboche, Nepal
Hotel:
Dingboche Resort
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DINGBOCHE
These two days are designed to acclimate and are spent hiking
in the high country surrounded by Everest and all of its satellite
peaks. The trek leader will determine how far and which view
points that the group will visit. This will be based on the strength
and acclimatization of the group. Our experience has been
almost all trek members make the hike to Everest’s Base camp.
Leaving Tangboche we hike through a forest of birches, conifers
and rhododendrons, crossing the Imja Khola, we climb up to
Pangboche and then reach Dingboche by mid-afternoon, where
we will stay for two nights. Our acclimatization hike will take to
spectacular view points – see another face of Amadablam, Island
Peak and Makalu.
Day 7
Dingboche, Nepal
Hotel:
Dingboche Resort
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DINGBOCHE
These two days are designed to acclimate and are spent hiking
in the high country surrounded by Everest and all of its satellite
peaks. The trek leader will determine how far and which view
points that the group will visit. This will be based on the strength
and acclimatization of the group. Our experience has been
almost all trek members make the hike to Everest’s Base camp.
Leaving Tangboche we hike through a forest of birches, conifers
and rhododendrons, crossing the Imja Khola, we climb up to
Pangboche and then reach Dingboche by mid-afternoon, where
we will stay for two nights. Our acclimatization hike will take to
spectacular view points – see another face of Amadablam, Island
Peak and Makalu.
Day 8
Lobuche, Nepal
Hotel:
Oxygen Lodge
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
LOBUCHE
From Dingboche we hike through the high alpine region,
across the glacial frozen river at Thukla and climb up hill to the
Lobouche. Our lodge at Lobouche offers magnificent views of
Cholatse, Lobouche, Pumori, and Nuptse. From Lobouche we
are within striking distance of both, Everest’s Base Camp and the
peak of Kala Pathar.
Day 9
Gorakshep, Nepal
Hotel:
Himalayan Lodge
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
KALA PATHAR EXCURSION
Directly opposite Everest, Kala Pathar (18,200 ft) offers some of
the best panoramic views of Everest. In fact, most of the famous
pictures of Mt. Everest’s rock pyramid peak are taken from Kala
Pathar. We have a relaxed morning and after an early lunch, we
start our slow but steady climb (no technical climbing required),
reaching the black stone peak of the mountain by late afternoon.
After spending some time on the peak (we may stay to watch the
setting sun light up Everest’s rocky summit) and taking a number
of photographs we descend to our lodge at Gorak Shep.
Day 10
Periche, Nepal
Hotel:
Himalaya Lodge
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EVEREST BASE CAMP
An early start is essential so that we can have few hours at
the Base Camp. We can see Khumbu Glacier as we approach Gorakshep, where we will take a short break before hiking into
the Base Camp Area.
We will see the spring climbing expedition camps in the base area
and have an opportunity to meet with some Everest climbers.
The base camp also offers views of the dramatic Khumbu Glacier.
The actual summit of Everest is hard to see from this location as
we are so close to the mountain. Return hike to Periche for the
overnight.Next
Day 11
Namche Bazaar, Nepal
Hotel:
Khumbu Lodge
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
RETURN TREK TO NAMCHE
We will start our return trek to Lukla airport. Our first day’s
descent will bring us to the monastery of Thyangboche where
we have lunch and then continue all the way to Namche (11,300
ft.). We should arrive in Namche with enough time for you to do
some last minute shopping in Namche’s Bazaar and a welcome
“hot shower.”
Day 12
Lukla, Nepal
Hotel:
Northface Lodge
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
TREK TO LUKLA
Today we end our trek by climbing back up to Lukla. Tonight
we will have our final dinner with our trekking staff and bid them
farewell as we rise early the next morning to catch our flight back
to Kathmandu.
Day 13
Kathmandu, Nepal
Hotel:
Yak & Yeti
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
FLY TO KATHMANDU
We say goodbye to our trekking staff, and prepare to make the
return to Kathmandu. Weather permitting the morning flight will
get us back to the Nepali capital, where we will return to the cozy
confines of the Yak & Yeti Hotel. The remainder of the day will
be at your leisure to shop, wander the bazaars, and enjoy exotic
Kathmandu.
Day 14
Kathmandu, Nepal
Hotel:
Yak & Yeti Hotel
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
KATHMANDU
This day serves as a back-up day for us to fly out from Lukla, in
case the flight was cancelled the day before because of inclement
weather.
Kathmandu’s legendary temple sites and stupas are truly amazing,
and are simultaneously revered as sacred reliquaries and bustling
with contemporary social life. The eyes of the Lord Buddha gaze
serenely upon the Kathmandu Valley from atop the photogenic
stupa at Swayambunath, also known as the Monkey Temple. The
large Buddhist stupa Bodnath, a World Heritage Site, is equally
renowned. Bodnath is also home to a sizeable Tibetan community
and is a wonderful place to witness traditional Buddhist ritual, as well as to shop for Tibetan arts and crafts. Kathmandu is also
home to the great Hindu temple at Pashupatinath, located on the
banks of the Bagmati River. This is a major pilgrimage site for the
followers of Shiva, drawing Hindu faithful from around the world.
Although the temple is off-limits to non-Hindus, travelers can still
visit the temple precincts and view the temple from the opposite
bank of the Bagmati. From here, one can see the temple’s
cremation ghats and witness firsthand the Hindu cycle of life.
This evening we will gather for a special Farewell Dinner, as we
bring our incredible journey to a close.
Day 15
Kathmandu, Nepal
Hotel:
None
Meals:
None
DEPARTURE
After breakfast we will be transferred to Kathmandu’s airport in
time for the outbound flight.
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